Variability of ripening peaches from different orchards, seasons, and harvests

Authors: Chen, Chunxian; READ, QUENTIN - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA)

Submitted to: Technology in Horticulture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/2/2025
Publication Date: 9/9/2025
Citation: Chen, C., Read, Q. 2025. Variability of ripening peaches from different orchards, seasons, and harvests. Technology in Horticulture. 5.Article e032. https://doi.org/10.48130/tihort-0025-0027.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.48130/tihort-0025-0027

Interpretive Summary: Peach breeding requires trials on advanced selections to understand fruit characteristics and horticultural performance, and to help develop new releases. This trial study revealed the variability of fruit characteristics of ripening peaches across different seasons, harvests, and locations. In general, we observed higher fruit weights, larger sizes, and higher SSC in later matured groups and in commercial orchards. We saw strong positive relationships between fruit weight, flesh weight, and average of equatorial and polar diameter, any of which could be used as an indicator of fruit size. Firmness was negatively related to most fruit characteristics, including fruit weight, fruit diameter, blush rating value and juice volume, consistent with peach fruit on trees continuing to soften while getting bigger, redder, and juicier during the ripening process. The Hunter L, a and b color values of ripening peach fruit differed between maturity groups but showed some regular patterns. L (lightness) and b (-blue, +yellow) values were highly positively correlated, but L and a (-green, +red) or b and a were not. The data is also valuable for understanding peach fruit ripening process, optimizing appropriate harvest timing, and determining potential new releases.

Technical Abstract: : Peach trials are an essential component of the conventional breeding pipeline. In this study, we analyzed data from a peach trial and revealed the variability of fruit characteristics of ripening peaches across different seasons, harvests, and trial locations. Fruit characteristics varied greatly and showed different distribution patterns among the trial orchards, maturity season groups, and weekly harvests, respectively. In general, higher fruit weights, larger sizes, and higher soluble solids content (SSC) were more often found in later-matured groups, and in commercial orchards. Pearson correlations also varied greatly. The highest positive correlations were observed between fruit weight, flesh weight, and the average of equatorial and polar diameters, any of which could be used as an indicator of fruit size. Firmness showed weak negative correlations with most fruit characteristics, including fruit weight, diameters, blush rating, juice volume, and SSC, which were consistent with the trend that peach fruit on trees continued to get bigger, redder, juicier, and sweeter while softening in the ripening process. The Hunter L, a, and b color scale values demonstrated regularity and variation. L (lightness) and b (-blue, +yellow) values of ripening peach fruit were highly linearly correlated, but L and a (-green, +red) or b and a were not. The data is also valuable for understanding the peach fruit ripening process, optimizing appropriate harvest timing, and determining potential new releases.